Pneumatic tire



Jan. l1 1927;

J. F. CULLEN PNEUMATIC TIRE 'Filed April 13. 1925 Patented Jan. l1,

JULIEN F. CULLEN,

PTE?

erica.. ,i

0F EGRTLAND, OREGON. ASSIGNOR- TO CQLMBIA TIRE COR- BORATION, A GOBEQRATION O1? OREG-ON.

PNEUMATICI TIRE.

Application filed April 13, 1925. Serial No. 22.904.

My invention relates to pneumatic tires, of that class generally known as low pressure tires, or more tires.

In tires of the d specifically balloon escription named, the

air-bag, which, through its inflation, gives shape and resiliency to air at a lower pressure the tire, is filled with than are the air-bags used in that type of tires which may be designated as high pressure tires.

A difficulty has been experienced in filling the space between the opposite the shoe so as to rmly contire proper or fine them in the tire rim. of that difliculty there has been found in tendency of said tire beads as they are called to in the rim.

practice a the shoe or rock or work sides of the ln consequence opposite sides o rlhe result has been either to dislocate the strip of resilient or yielding material which has been heretofore used to protect the air-bag in that portion of it entering or tending to enter the space between the ti re beads, or to admit of a bulge of the air-bag into said space. The result has been to damage the air-bag even to the extent of filler contrived ru pturing it.

my invention provision is made of a and adapted to completely fill the space defined on two sides by the tire beads and on the other sidesby the wall of the air-bag and the intermediate portion of the rim-tread over which the tire beads do not extend. l provide also an archedor bridge-like construction of the web of the filler by which any sudden pressure, exerted for example by the against an obstruction in service,

striking of the tire is utilized to effect a positive expansion, under compression, of the body the opposing faces of the tire diminution of the effect, without of the filler, against beads, with the resilient efficiency of the tire, of driving the tire beads into close engagement with the walls of the angle defined rim.

by side walls of the What constitutes my invention will be hereinafter Vspecified in detail and succinctly defined in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing,

Figure l is transverse section of a tire of the class to which my invention is applioable, and of the the tire is mounted, entire tire being Figure Il is a ver tire rim upon which the tread portion of the broken away.

tical section of a porand' preferably include tion taken of a tire at right angles to the subject mattei' of Figure I.

Referring to the numerals on the draw-y ing, l indicates the rim-tread of a metallic tire that is provided with side walls 2 of any usual or suitable and preferred description. 3 indicates the outer tire covering or shoe which may be made of any ordinary or suitable flexible material, the same being usually made in part of fabric and in part of rubber. The shoe is provided upon its opposite sides with tire beads 4 and 5, which are made to fit, respectively, into the angular spaces defined by the side walls 2 at opposite sides of the rim-tread. The tire beads f may be made according to any usual or suitable and preferred method of construction, A withineach bead a bundle of reinforcing annularly disposed wires 6. 7 indicates an inflatable air tube or airbag, which in practice occupies the interior of the shoe 3 whereby through its inflation it imparts to the shoe the shape and the degree of resiliency desired.

The elements above specified represent those of the usual kind employed in tires of the kind indicated and in usual method of assemblage. To the extent already described the tire beads 4 and 5 are separated by an open space into which the infiation 4of the tube 7 tends, alonQ` that line, to drive the wall of said tube. The means ordinarily provided for limiting the protr-usion of the wall of the tube 7 into that space consists usually of a mere annular strip of stiff flexible material, such for example as that of which the shoe 3 is made. It has been found, as has been heretofore specified in general terms, that the employment of such a strip of material affords an inadequate protection to the tube 7, and exposes the beads 4 and 5 to a tendency in service to rock or tilt upon the tire rim.

To overcome such objectionable tilting of the beads 4 and 5, and also to protect the tube 7 from injury, is the object which my invention is designed and adapted to accomplish. To that end I provide an annular member 9 which I designate by the term filler because it completely fills the space between the opposing faces of the beads 4 and 5. It is provided on its opposite sides with outwardly tapered flanges l0 and l1 designed and adapted to fill the spaces between the beads and the tube 7, and to afford a close fitting` support for the Walll of the tube 7 where it extends above said beads.

The filler 9 may be of any suitable material preferablysuch as that of which the shoe 3 is made, and the flanges l() and llare preferably made integrally with the iiller and of the same material. The filler includ# ing its flanges 10 and l1 might be made oi rubber, if for any reason it were desirable to use rubberalone;

rIhe top of theller 9is slightly dished orf inversely archedl as. indicated. at 12, for thepnrpose,mainly, of directing the pressureo'fthe tube 7 lvv'herethe members 7 and 9 come into Contact. Below the reverse arch 1Q, I" provide'a lo7 bridge or arch M which spans: aportion of the rim-tread 1 and de fines, upon opposite sides of the fille-r 9, toepi'e'cesl and lvwhich engagethe opposite faces ofthe beads 4 and 5,respectively.

y In operation, the effect ot' the member 9, by reason of' its shape and disposition, is to limit" the expansion ot the tube, and to liold the beads 4 and 5 iiatf against the face o fitherim-tread l` With which they contact; Moreover, the presence ot' the arch or bridge lllpermits the intermediate bodyV ofthe iiller 9tov yield or undergo compression towards that portion of the face of the rim-tread which said arch spans', with the eiiect oi: exerting a positive pressureagainst the oppositebeads d* and 5 to force and hold them immovably in place in the angular' spaces provided for themby union oftlieside walls Zand the rim-tread l. By this means provision is made whereby any sudden compression of the tire in service at any point, such as would occur it' the tire slioulduneet an'obstruction in the road upon which it is traveling, will have the effect of preventing that rocking or tilting movement of the beads which would, in the absence of the member 9, occur.

What I claim is:

l. In a pneumatic tire, the combina-tion with a'rim,-a shoe provided upon opposite sides with tire beads fitting the rim, and `an air tubewithin the shoe, ofl a` iller for the space deiined between the respective beads, the air tube, and the rim-tread, substantially for the purpose specified, said iiller being provided on the outside With an inwardly curved arch and on the side next to the rimtreadvfith an opposing. arch adaptedlto render the iiller operatively.compressible for the purpose speciiied.

2. A filler for the space defined between the beads of a'tircshoe, saidriillery having a weakened portion and means5 for localizing tube pressure upon. said weakened portion.

3. A filler for the space deiined between the beads of a tire shoe, said iiller having its inner and outer surfaces provided With recesses'.

In testimony whereof, I have. hereunto set my hand.

JULIEN F. GULDEN. 

